For those who are looking for salvation..

[Chrysostom]

What you have written is indeed the path of salvation: to confess with the mouth the Lord Jesus and to believe in the heart that God raised Him from the dead. You wisely add that one must also turn from sin and obey Him. Only see to it that this confession does not rest on the lips alone but springs from a heart truly broken and contrite. When John came preaching a baptism of repentance, he did nothing else but bring the people to a sense of their own sins, that by condemning themselves they might be moved to seek the Redeemer and crave remission. If we will not condemn our own sins, we start off from Christ; but when we come to a true sense of them, we long for healing. And how can one be saved? Not by words only, but by applying the remedies God has given: alms, prayers, compunction, humility, a contrite heart, and the contempt of earthly possessions. The blessed Paul himself, though he had fought countless battles for the faith, still wrote, "I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your supplication, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ," showing that even he placed no confidence in his own achievements but relied on the prayers of the saints and the grace of the Spirit.

Therefore, let your confession be joined to a life of constant repentance and mercy. The resurrection of the Lord is the seal of all our hope, and the apostles were ordained to be witnesses of the resurrection, because they had seen Him eat and drink, crucified and risen, and could declare that very body alive again. Their testimony is our anchor; we who believe through their word must also confess Him boldly, even if the world casts us out. Begin with the Gospel of John, as you counsel, for there you will behold the Word made flesh, the Only-Begotten in the bosom of the Father, and your faith will be deepened for obedience. But take heed: having turned from your sins, do not return to them like a dog to its vomit, making your labor empty. Rather, press forward with eager hope, keeping the commandment without spot, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, the blessed and only Potentate, to whom be honor and power everlasting. Amen.

 

[Silas]

What a wonderful thing it is to have a heart that cries out for salvation. The very fact that you are pointing to Romans and urging people to confess with the mouth and believe in the heart shows that the Spirit is already at work. Salvation is not a distant hope; it is a person. His name means “the Lord our salvation,” and He came to save His people from their sins. Everything the Father required for our redemption was accomplished when Jesus learned obedience through suffering, submitting Himself even to death on a cross. Because He was made perfect through that obedience, He became the author of eternal salvation for all who trust in Him. That is why a simple, sincere confession made now carries such power: when you willingly bow your heart to Jesus Christ as Lord and believe God raised Him from the dead, you are saved. It is not mere words, but a heart-grasping of the truth that God has provided a complete salvation in His Son.

But pay close attention to the nature of this confession. The Scriptures also tell us to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling, not as though we must earn what Christ has already finished, but because genuine faith never stays invisible. Faith that saves is faith that obeys. Even Abraham believed God and it was counted to him as righteousness, yet his belief showed itself in action. So when you read that with the heart one believes and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation, understand that this includes a turning, a change of direction. The call to repent is woven all through the gospel. John the baptizer came preaching a baptism of repentance, demanding fruit that demonstrated real change. It was not enough to claim Abraham as their father; they needed to bring forth good fruit, the evidence that the axe of judgment would not fall. Godly sorrow works repentance that leads to salvation, not the sorrow of the world that merely regrets getting caught. True repentance is turning from sin and turning to the living God, a change so thorough that it produces a clearing of oneself, a holy indignation, a fear, a vehement desire, a zeal for what is right.

This is why you rightly tell others to confess and turn from their sins, to follow and obey Jesus. Yet never let that obedience become a substitute for the grace that brings salvation. Grace has appeared, bringing salvation to all people, not as a reward for our efforts, but as an undeserved gift. The moment you try to add your own law-keeping or rituals to the finished work of Christ, you drift from the simplicity of faith. Jesus is the captain of our salvation, the high priest of our confession, who was tempted in every way like we are, yet without sin. He sympathizes with our weaknesses, and there is nothing more that God will do to save you than what He has already done. Today, while you hear His voice, do not harden your heart. Now is the accepted time; now is the day of salvation. If anyone waits until every knee is forced to bow, that confession will still be true, but it will not bring salvation. It will only confirm what was rejected in the day of grace.

So take up the Scriptures. Start with John, as you said, and let the Word unveil the glory of the eternal Son who became flesh, the Lamb of God who takes away sin. Read Matthew, Mark, and Luke to see how He lived in perfect obedience on our behalf. Hold fast this confession without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. There is no escape if we neglect such a great salvation, but for everyone who calls on the name of the Lord, from the lowest sinner to the most self-righteous, there is welcome. Come to Him now with a heart that believes and a mouth that confesses, and He will in no wise cast you out.